Much of her research involves chatting with beer fans — particularly those from the 50.9 percent of the population known as women.

She hosts beer dinners, focus groups and other friendly meetups to share what she knows and learn more about what women want and expect from beer. She can take what insight she distills from these meetings and sell it to breweries, publications and other interested businesses.

For far too long, beer has been marketed to men only. It makes sense when you put the bulk of your marketing dollars towards the bulk of your market. That said, in order to create new market segments and gain market share, you have to equally dedicate marketing efforts and a budget that go with the new markets. Marketing to women is not a token or single initiative idea. It’s an enormous opportunity to engage in IF you know that marketing to women is different than marketing to men.

One of the really interesting people I met during the Great American Beer Festival last month in Denver — she has a firm handshake and a infectious enthusiasm for her subject matter — Johnson and her husband had recently sold their house and embarked on a driving tour across the country in a minivan with their two dogs, Hops and Belle.

It’s a working trip, but it sounds great. From her latest e-mail alert:

The Home Free Tour is in full swing and we’re in California right now well into week 6. You can see our continues route on the website. It’s been loads of fun so far – great people in hosts and breweries, lots of incredible country to see, and food and drink to enjoy. We’re humbly grateful for the generous and warm hospitality and opportunity and have every reason to believe it’ll maintain its fabulousness.

So, let’s help her out. Johnson will be in Houston in a couple of weeks, and I’d love to pass on your thoughts. If you’re interested in meeting her, I’m sure we can work that out, too.

Specifically, she is looking for answers to the following:

What Do Women Want (From Their Beer Anyway…)

1. Why do you drink beer?

2. Why do you like beer?

3. What kinds of beers do you like?

4. What would compel you to try a beer you haven’t tried before?

5. What do you want from your beer? Conversely, what don’t you want from your beer?

6. What kind of beer education or social beer opportunities would you like to take advantage of?

7. How do you want the beer companies to address/acknowledge you as a female beer drinker?

8. What kind of atmosphere do you prefer when you drink beer?

9. What do you think about present beer marketing and advertising as it relates to you as a woman?

21 Responses

Aside from the marketing aspect (which as a craft beer enthusiast I am uninterested in), I do not understand why this has to be sexist. Women who really like craft beer typically like the same things men like. You’ve never met a female hop head? My mom even prefers hoppy beers, and she is a wine drinker who had previously only drank the occasional Amstel Light.

The quest is just misdirected in my opinion. It should be to introduce everybody, male and female, to good craft beer. The vast majority of beer drinkers opt for B-M-C macro-brewed products.

If the point is to create better marketing toward women, I can assure you that the only beneficiaries of this effort will be big beer corporations.

Guys, take your girl to a great brew pub (why aren’t there any in Houston? grrr) and order a sampler. By the time you’ve gone through and discussed likes and dislikes of each one, you’ll have a convert.

1. Why do you drink beer? I like to try new and different things and figure out what I like.

2. Why do you like beer? It’s like baking bread – there’s a recipe and different ingredients change the result.

3. What kinds of beers do you like? Spaten Optimator is my favorite – I appreciate the complexity of different kinds of hops if it’s a well balanced brew.

4. What would compel you to try a beer you haven’t tried before? Simply the fact that I haven’t tried it before!

5. What do you want from your beer? Conversely, what don’t you want from your beer? A complexity of flavor and mouth feel – something different. NOT Miller of Bud – if I’m drinking calories, it better be worth it!

6. What kind of beer education or social beer opportunities would you like to take advantage of? Tastings or brewery tours.

7. How do you want the beer companies to address/acknowledge you as a female beer drinker? Well, not with scantily clad women marketing a product…

8. What kind of atmosphere do you prefer when you drink beer? The Hops House on Highway 6 is perfect – always good beer to choose and always good live music…

9. What do you think about present beer marketing and advertising as it relates to you as a woman? I think I don’t need marketing because the beers that I like are micro or craft brews or other beers that I seek out – I don’t expect them to market to me anyway…

10. Does size matter for your beer? Size of the pour or size of the brew? Either way, I like a big beer…

1.Because it goes well with many types of food and I prefer the complexity of the bitter and hoppy in beer over the aromas in wine.

2.It started as a nostalgia thing where I think of my craft beer loving dad every time I order one. I didn’t like beer for a long time because my first introduction was the cheap stuff guys get in college. Once I was introduced into the craft beer market at the All American Beer Fest in Denver, I was hooked.

3.My personal favorites are the ESBs, Red Ales, Scotch Ales, stouts, porters, orange blossom, and steam ales (in that order). I do not care for the fruit infused, Belgian style, or wheat beers at all.

4.There are three general parameters: (1) a recommendation from a friend; (2) it’s something I haven’t seen on the shelves before; or (3) It’s a seasonal item from microbrewery or craft brewery from a region of preference. I’ve had most of what is available to the general market in Texas, so it’s more difficult to come by something I haven’t had.

5.Want: a good balance of flavors and senses, a Golden color to match the description of the ale, clean aroma that smells as the beer of that name should. Don’t Want: I am not a fan of things that are heavy on one flavor – like the pumpkin ales, fruit ales, or the IPAs.

6. I use to do the regular Flying Saucer Wednsday Glass night, Gingerman happy hour specials, tastings of brewery specials at local areas, beer and food tastings at a restaurant, special beer parties with friends, tours of local breweries.

7.I’m really turned off by the “beer girl” cheerleader stereotype. Do not dumb down information or assume some stereotype. I know beer – focus on what the beer IS rather than what the demographic of your drinkers are… A good beer will speak for itself and stand alone on its own merit.

8.At the brewery with friends, in a local pub run by locals, at a function with friends (either at their house or some sort of local festival)

9.There is a general assumption that women prefer lighter ales or lagers or they don’t like beer at all and need to be introduced. I get the impression that men typically care less about the beer and more about the image of what they drink, which is reflected in the advertising.

10. I prefer the simple pint size. As for commercial beers – I will go out of my way to avoid the major ones like Budweiser, Miller, and Coors. I like them fresh, seasonal, and local.

SirRon: You’re assuming that most men who like beer prefer local brews, and you’re also assuming that THAT is who the major companies advertise to. From what I can tell, those who want to drink well made beer and can discern tastes are a completely different segment than those who respond to the Budweiser commercials. If we were talking about the segment I just mentioned, you’re point would carry more weight. As it is, many women who are social beer drinkers (like the men who are social beer drinkers) respond to ads telling them which the best one is supposed to be because they can’t tell. THAT segment is what they are trying to target here, and that particular segment won’t be well-exploited with the current advertising scheme.

.

Don: Contrary to popular belief, men do not “own” beer, football, etc. They are not “male only” activities. Why can’t women enjoy Hooters, or a sports bar? Why are you so sure that you have to have “territory” for yourselves “as men?” Do you feel threatened?

Two words… Pink Beer Cans… Okay, that’s three but whatever. Bottom line is packaging and marketing. Look at what Camel did with those Pink Cigarettes that I admit smoking when I had to bum one. My cheapness is not the point. the point is that it’s all marketing and even when people are becoming health conscious, there is always an untapped market to tap in to. Isn’t that right, KOOL and Schlitz. finally, the real point and message is… What they are saying is… “I have an inferior product, it can’t stand on its own merit, it never could. what do I have to do to it to make you buy it?” Case in point, white people and jagermeister. sorry white people but you know it’s true.

It depends on how attractive the woman is…many women get drunk every weekend twice and have never paid for a Beer in their entire lives…how about a Beer Bottle with a greeting card on the label…enter your name here…witty saying…

Beer companies should focus on Beer Tastings. I have been drinking more beer since I went to a beer tasting at a church about 10 years ago. We tasted and studied various roasted hops (who knew? they roast them light/dark etc.) and then we studied and tasted light/dark/stouts etc. We examined a lot of terminology and beer ingredients.

I like a dark beer. I am not an avid beer drinker but I buy a wide variety of the Texas brewed beers for lighter summer occasions. In the winter I enjoy a Guiness or Belhaven on tap. If I order one of those and my husband’s favorite, Newcastle, the bartender (male or female) will put the stout in front him every time! Dixie Blackened VooDoo is great this time of year too. I am so glad it is back in our market!

I once read that the big American brewers changed their recipes during WWII because all the men were overseas and they had to appeal more to “Rosie the Riveter” to maintain their sales. It was explained that that was the reason most standard American beers are now less hardy than European beers and craft beers. Women like a lighter beer.

Personally, I think it’s less the beer itself than the way they’re marketed. Women probably don’t care much about Swedish Bikini Teams or all the sexual innuendo that now characterizes a lot of beer marketing. Macho ain’t gonna do it for them and they don’t see beer drinking as feminine due to the way beer has been marketed. Just think of the stereotypes, beer is perceived as a drink for hairy guys indulging in masculine horseplay (unsophisticated) and white wine is seen as an feminine libation even when sipped by males (sometimes pretentiously sophisticated.)

Were I a beer marketer I’d try more to change the image than the beer. I work on mental associations such as tasting parties instead of fraternity beer busts, seasonal designer brews instead of Super Bowl indulgences, etc…

Why would someone travel around the US help promote women drinking beer if that beer is to be a B-M-C product? Furthermore, what is a discussion of that doing on this blog?

I’m not assuming that most men or women like macrobrewed beer. The numbers are stacked the other direction in a huge way. What I am suggesting is that the one thing that is worth promoting and the message that desperately needs to spread is the existence of high quality and full flavored craft brewed beers. And that message is not and does not need to be sexist.

Well I for one, having been influenced by all the information on this blog and Ronnie himself, have tried so many new beers this year! I was never just a “bud light” drinker as a couple of people on here have stated that women are, but I clearly did lack the education of what was available. I think unless you have someone in your life that enjoys/drinks good beer, you have no idea what to order/try or what the differences are between them.

I myself love St. Arnolds and I’m totally happy about the new brewery. I recently tasted some great beers from a couple of local breweries in Denver. I had no idea I’d been missing so many great tasting beers! I will definitely never order a “bud light” type beer again!

Really interesting article, it is great to see women in the U.S. taking the initiative to educate other women about beer and find out what they want. I work for an initiative called BitterSweet Partnership in the UK, set up by Molson Coors to look at the way the beer industry here has ignored women in its marketing (which as you mentioned has also happened in the U.S.) to the extent that beer sales in the UK among women are among the lowest in Europe. We are big believers that education is a huge part of empowering, and emboldening women to enjoy beer. It would be great to see more people hosting beer dinners, and other friendly meetups the UK. You can check out our website here http://www.bittersweetpartnership.com. We’d be interested to know what you and your readers think!

Wow – This is great conversation. Conversation will push progress. Here are some thoughts from me (Women Enjoying Beer) and I’d welcome anyone to get in touch with me directly.

1. SirRon – “girls” = bad(under 12??). The use of this word alone in reference to women needs progress. It’s not sexist; it’s about an opportunity (did you check out the site?). Beneficiaries are going to be any beer organizations who are listening and want to develop market share authentically an accurately.

4. Jeremy – perfect example of why WEB is on the scene. What exactly is your ‘experience’? Part of the key is to ask women what they think; not assigning men’s values or lens to the answer.

5. Lee – per “women who are social drinkers…because they can’t tell.” – Hmmm…please ask me before putting words in my mouth. If more women were asked, instead of interpreted before asking them, then they could tell. Women must be part of any conversation concerning them, just as men should be with things concerning them, kids etc..

6. ShastaFantastic – once again “girls” = wrong.

7. SandOz – No Pink!!!! Pink = Barbie, Victoria Secret, Breast Cancer. America needs to get past boobs. Do marketers or business slap baby blue on products designed or marketed to men?!

8. w00t – ??!!

9. kabukicondo – RIGHT ON TRACK!

10. EeazzyMoney – if you like wine (which I do as well) try lambics, full porters, sours. TONS of flavors in great beers translate to wine drinkers.

11. man – oog.

12. Sarah – Keep it up!

13. Spock – Can you send me a link to that article? Marketing is HUGE in perception and impressions, correct or incorrect. We’re all overdue for a thinking shift.

14. DC – Education is key for companies and consumers equally.

15. Kristy – I’ve reached out to Bittersweet with no response so far – please get in touch. I’d love to start a conversation with you.